2026 GMC Acadia vs. 2026 Honda Pilot: Three Rows for the School Run

The 2026 model of the Acadia is equipped with a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 328 horsepower, includes a 15-inch screen as standard equipment, has a 12-speaker Bose sound system on all trims except the Denali Ultimate, and offers a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds regardless of the trim chosen.

 The 2026 Pilot is fitted with a 3.5-liter V6 and provides eight-passenger seating on nearly all of its trims,even though only one of these two SUVs enables you to take your hands off the wheel on a compatible highway. 

Three-row shopping usually starts in one of these ways: another child turns up, the carpool grows larger, or the eight-year-old says that the middle seat is no longer acceptable.

Both of these are genuine three-row vehicles and neither of them has a third row that is closed to anyone who is taller than four feet. The differences between them are therefore to be found somewhere else, and it is worthwhile understanding them before you visit a showroom.

What the Acadia brings

The engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with turbocharging, producing 328 hp and 326 lb-ft, and is coupled with an eight-speed automatic; the same engine is used on all four trims, and there is no V6 version, no diesel, and no hybrid.

• Each trim is fitted with a 15-inch touchscreen that has Google built in and an 11-inch digital driver display.
• Bose is standard. It's a 12-speaker system on the Elevation, AT4, and Denali, and the Denali Ultimate steps up to 16 speakers.
• HD Surround Vision and a rear camera mirror are included in all models, together with more than 15 safety and driver assistance features.
• Heated seats in the front and a heated steering wheel are included on all the trims.

When properly equipped, each of the four trims has a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. 

The cargo space is 23.0 cubic feet behind the third row and 97.5 cubic feet when all the seats are folded.

There are four trims available: Elevation, AT4, Denali, and Denali Ultimate; the Denali Ultimate is new for 2026. On the Elevation, Denali, and Denali Ultimate models, front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is an option. For the AT4, all-wheel drive is standard.

It should be noted at the outset that the Elevation is the only Acadia model that can seat eight, and it does that with a bench in the second row; the AT4, the Denali, and the Denali Ultimate all have seven seats with bucket seats in the second row.

What the Pilot brings

The engine is a 3.5-liter V6 producing 285 hp and 262 lb-ft, and is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. 

The models all have a 12.3-inch touchscreen, and for 2026 it runs Google's built-in system, just like the Acadia.

The towing capacity is 5,000 pounds when all-wheel drive is used and 3,500 pounds when front-wheel drive is used.

The cargo space is 18.6 cubic feet behind the third row and 87.0 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded, according to the standard method of measurement. I'll say more about that figure in a minute, since Honda also gives a considerably larger one.

On the majority of the models the seating capacity is eight; the TrailSport replaces the second-row bench with captain's chairs and provides seating for seven.

Honda Sensing is included as standard on all the different models; for the Sport and EX-L models, front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is an option, while on models from the TrailSport upwards, all-wheel drive is standard.

Where the Acadia wins

The power figures are a long way ahead: 328 hp compared to 285, and 326 lb-ft compared to 262. The more useful aspect is the point at which that torque is produced. The Acadia's turbocharger builds its peak torque early, low in the rev range. The Pilot's naturally aspirated V6 doesn't reach its 262 lb-ft until 5,000 rpm. When you're carrying five people plus a week's worth of hockey equipment and merge onto Route 8, that difference is one that you experience rather than one that you just read about.

When it comes to screen size, the Acadia has a 15-inch screen compared to the 12.3-inch one; since both vehicles now come with Google's built-in system, Google Maps will be available on the dashboard regardless of the model. Anyone who says that Google Maps is something exclusive to the Acadia is relying on an older spec sheet. Although the Acadia does have a real advantage in this area, that advantage is narrower than it used to be, because in this type of vehicle someone in the second row is always asking how long it will take.

Standard equipment, not optional equipment: this is how the Acadia distinguishes itself, and it's easy to overlook when looking at a spec sheet. The base model Elevation comes with the 12-speaker Bose sound system, HD Surround Vision, a rear camera mirror, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. With the Pilot, Bose doesn't appear until the Touring trim, which is several grades higher in the range, and the surround-view camera doesn't appear until the TrailSport. In this comparison, you're not looking at whether a feature exists, but rather how high up the range you have to go in each model line to get it.

Towing that doesn't rely on the vehicle's trim position is available; all Acadia models can tow 5,000 pounds. The Pilot can tow 5,000 pounds only if it has all-wheel drive, while the front-drive Pilot is limited to 3,500 pounds. So if you have a small trailer and were considering saving money by not fitting AWD, you'll actually be facing a real limitation.

Super Cruise: this feature warrants its own section.

Where the Pilot wins

I won't give you a biased comparison, so here is the straightforward account, covering the point where the cargo argument doesn't work the way most people believe.

There is seating flexibility. The Pilot provides eight seats on almost all of its models. The Acadia has eight seats only in its base Elevation model. If you move up to the AT4 or the Denali, you end up with seven seats regardless of whether you wanted second-row buckets or not. If you need eight seats as well as a more attractive interior, the Pilot is the only one of the two that will offer both of these. The Pilot's removable second-row center seat, standard on EX-L, Touring, Elite and Black Edition, folds down and stows beneath the cargo floor, and that is truly a smart piece of space planning.

The six-cylinder engine itself: some people prefer a naturally aspirated six, and that is a valid preference, not just a matter of nostalgia. The Pilot's 3.5-liter engine provides its power in a straightforward and predictable manner, and it is a powertrain that Honda has been manufacturing and improving over a long period. Although the Acadia's turbocharged four-cylinder appears to be more powerful in the specs and does more work when fully loaded, it is a four-cylinder attempting to carry out the work of a six-cylinder. If this point is important to you, then drive both models back to back and see if you can detect any difference.

The third row is accessible. In the Pilot, the second-row seats slide and tilt out of the way in one movement, instead of you leaning into the car in a parking lot in February to get a child into the third row. Try this out on both vehicles rather than relying on anyone else's word for it.

The Pilot begins at a lower price than the Acadia and stays lower as you go up the range. You should ask both dealers for the prices of similarly equipped vehicles when they are new, since that is the only kind of comparison that has any meaning.

Fuel economy is about even. The Acadia gets 20 in the city and 26 on the highway with front-wheel drive and 20 in the city and 23 on the highway with all-wheel drive. The front-wheel-drive Pilot achieves 19 in the city and 27 on the highway, and 19 in the city and 25 on the highway with all-wheel drive. Regardless of how you configure them, the combined figures come out identical: 22 against 22 with front-wheel drive, and 21 against 21 with all-wheel drive. The only exception is the Pilot TrailSport, which falls to 18 in the city and 23 on the highway (20 combined) because of the all-terrain tires and the raised suspension, so if you're interested in that trim, allow for the lower fuel economy. Since the turbo four does not provide a meaningfully better fuel economy than the V6, don't let anyone convince you to buy the Acadia on that basis.

About that cargo number

For the Pilot the figure of 113.7 cubic feet will be given and for the Acadia 97.5 cubic feet, leading you to the conclusion that the Pilot is considerably more spacious. In fact it isn't, and this is the most misleading comparison in the segment.

Honda gives out two different sets of figures. The figure of 87.0 is the straightforward SAE J1100 cargo volume, the standard measurement, and it is also how GMC arrives at 97.5 for the Acadia. The higher figure of 113.7 is not a different opinion about the same space, it is a different measurement, and Honda says so in its own spec sheet: the number is based on the SAE J1100 standard plus, where it applies, the floor space between the seating rows with those seats moved forward and upright. That answers a different question. A similar situation occurs behind the third row: the figure often quoted, 22.4, takes into account that extra floor space, while the simple measurement is 18.6. 

It's also worth knowing that 113.7 belongs to one trim, the TrailSport. The rest of the Pilot lineup lands between 111.8 and 112.4 on that same expanded measure.

Measured the same way, it goes like this:

Behind the third row, all seats up: Acadia 23.0 cubic feet, Pilot 18.6 cubic feet.

With the rear seats folded down: Acadia 97.5 cubic feet, Pilot 87.0 cubic feet.

The Acadia provides greater interior space in both directions, by around 4.4 cubic feet behind the third row and by about ten cubic feet when all the seats are folded down. The first number matters more than it looks. Behind the third row is where most families live day to day, and 4.4 cubic feet on a base of 18.6 is close to a quarter more room in the space you actually use every week.

It does not mean that Honda is being dishonest since both figures are genuine; they simply answer different questions. If a salesperson writes 113.7 next to 97.5 on a piece of paper, they will be treating two different measurements as though they were a single comparison. In that case, you should find out which standard each figure is based on.

The Super Cruise question

The Pilot doesn't offer this at any price.

With Super Cruise, you can drive without using your hands on compatible highways; the car looks after steering, keeps you centered in your lane, and maintains the appropriate following distance while a camera checks that you are looking at the road to make sure you are keeping your attention. It doesn't mean the vehicle is fully self-driving: you remain the driver, you are still responsible, and your eyes must still be on the road. What it does take away is the minor amount of effort involved in holding the wheel for two hours.

The Pilot has no comparable feature at any of its trim levels. Although Honda Sensing is a solid safety package and its lane keeping assist functions well, it does require your hands to be on the wheel.

On the 2026 Acadia, Super Cruise is included as standard equipment on the Denali Ultimate, and that comes with a three-year OnStar One plan. For the Elevation, AT4, and Denali models, Super Cruise is an optional package, so find out how much it costs for the particular vehicle you are looking at.

The fair test is this: if your journey is from Torrington to Litchfield with school pickups along the way, then Super Cruise will be doing nothing and you shouldn't have to pay for it.On the other hand, if you frequently drive the interstate to Hartford, or if you take trips to Boston and New York a few times a year, then the experience of a two-hour drive changes.  You should honestly consider which of these two situations applies to you.

So which one

If you want the more powerful engine, the bigger screen, more equipment included on the base model, a cargo area that is actually larger in size, towing that isn't dependent on the kind of drivetrain you choose, or Super Cruise, then you should buy the Acadia.

You should go for the Pilot if you need eight seats in a model that is above the base trim, if you want the V6, or if the lower signing price outweighs the difference in features.

There is no wrong answer here. These two are close enough that the right pick comes down to your actual week rather than a spec sheet.

Where to look

Northwest Hills GMC in Torrington stocks the Acadia. If you can arrange it, drive one and then drive a Pilot. When you're there, do three things. One day is a nuisance. Five years of wishing you had bought the other one is worse.

Three things to do while you are there.

Install the car seats. The way they go in and the way you get to them varies considerably between these two vehicles, and that is the thing you will deal with each and every day.

Sit in the third row yourself. Not your child's turn, yours.

If Super Cruise is something you'd like to try, ask to use it on a section of highway that is compatible. You can't get a good idea of it from a brochure, but you can when you're sitting in a moving car.

The Acadia has greater power, a larger screen, more equipment fitted as standard, more usable cargo space, and a hands-free system that the Pilot doesn't have. The Pilot offers eight seats across a greater number of trims and is cheaper to sign.

Work out which of those you will notice on a Tuesday, and buy that one.